Police have ensured further punishment for convicted West Midlands criminals after seizing millions of pounds in ill-gotten gains.
West Midlands Police and the Regional Organised Crime Unit have pursued court action to confiscate the ‘dirty money’ through the Proceeds of Crime Act ( POCA ).
In the last month drug dealers and a thief have been ordered to hand back cash or face extended jail terms; with money recovered put into the force’s Active Citizens fund and used on community or crime prevention projects.
West Midlands Police and the Regional Asset Recovery Team (RART), part of the Regional Organised Crime Unit, has vowed to continue recovering money - or assets to the value of any gain from crime - to stop crooks benefitting from their illegal activities.
Nirmal Saund - who posed as a respected businessman but co-ordinated a multi-million pound cannabis farm network - has been ordered to pay back £2.2 million after a POCA hearing at Birmingham Crown Court.
The 52 year-old, from Skip Lane, Walsall, was jailed for 10 years and six months after renting industrial units and residential addresses across the Midlands.
After being sentenced for conspiracy to produce drugs in February last year, RART - which is a collaboration between West Midlands, Staffordshire, West Mercia and Warwickshire forces - then sought to seize money made from the illegal operation.
At a hearing on 27 May; Saund was ordered to hand back £2.2 million within three months or face a further 10 years behind bars.
His nephew Darryl Saund, aged 32, of Foxcote Drive, Shirley, who was sentenced to nine years for his role in the operation, was told to pay back £114,115 at an earlier hearing.
Detective Constable Derek Tinsley, from RART, said: "This was a sophisticated drugs network and officers carried out a lot of diligent work to identify cash which was put into multiple accounts.
"We worked with a variety of law enforcement agencies internationally and this case should act as a warning; we will leave no stone unturned in making sure criminals do not prosper from their crimes."
West Midlands Police also took action against Mann Singh Landa - who stole money from gaming machines - and was told he must return £42,000 or be jailed for a further two years after a POCA hearing on 26 May.
The 42 year-old, of Yardley Green Road, Birmingham, was sentenced to 20 months in January for theft of £17,858 from Pickwick Cricket Club in Moseley where he was a steward which must be paid back.
A police investigation into his finances discovered further money which could not be accounted for and was found to be linked to criminal gains meaning he must hand over a further £24,000 as part of a confiscation order.
Acting Detective Sergeant Yvonne Barwani, from the economic crime unit, said: "We will always investigate people who have benefitted financially from crime and we are pleased to have recovered these ill-gotten gains.
"This sends out a strong message that crime doesn’t pay."
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